FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Alton, IL – Feb. 17, 2026) Get your kicks with the SIUE 66ers basketball team Monday, Feb. 23 when they travel to Edwardsville’s West End Service Station to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Mother Road and to meet local fans.

SIUE Athletics and the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau are hosting a free Meet the 66ers event from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the West End Service Station, a Route 66 attraction located at 620 St. Louis St. The Meet & Greet will celebrate the team’s 66ers alternate identity as well as the Centennial of the highway.

Head basketball coaches Brian Barone and Sam Quigley Smith will be on hand along with members of their basketball teams.

Player autographs and discounted game tickets for the Feb. 26 match-up between SIUE and the Western Illinois Leathernecks will be available. Attendees can also register to win 66ers prizes.

Parking is available at 534 St. Louis St., Edwardsville.

The West End Service Station opened in 2023 as a Route 66 interpretive center providing visitors a nostalgic trip back in time through stories, photos and souvenirs. The original service station closed over 40 years ago when the highway’s third alignment bypassed Edwardsville. The building was saved from demolition by the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau and the City of Edwardsville.
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(The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is a certified Destination Marketing Organization serving Madison, Jersey, Calhoun, Macoupin, Montgomery and Greene counties and East St. Louis in St. Clair County. The bureau is dedicated to educating visitors about the region by providing information regarding the area’s history, unique landmarks, recreational opportunities, leisure attractions, special events and scenic marvels.)